Download Meteoroid/Meteor/Meteorite Facts

Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Meteoroid/Meteor/Meteorite Facts
(Sources: http://www.angelfire.com/md2/meteo/15facts.html;
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/space/meteoroids.html)
1. A meteoroid is a small rock or particle of debris in our Solar System. They range
in size from dust to around 33 feet in diameter (larger objects are usually referred
to as asteroids).
2. A meteoroid that burns up as it passes through the Earth’s atmosphere is known
as a meteor. If you’ve ever looked up at the sky at night and seen a streak of light
or ‘shooting star.’ what you are actually seeing is a meteor.
3. A meteoroid that survives falling through the Earth’s atmosphere and colliding
with the Earth’s surface is known as a meteorite.
4. The Earth’s atmosphere experiences millions of meteors every day.
5. Meteors are best seen during the night.
6. When many meteors occur in a close time frame in the same part of the sky, it is
called a meteor shower.
7. Around 500 meteorites reach the Earth’s surface every year but of those, only
around five ever make it to scientists for study.
8. When a meteor produces enough light to cast a shadow (at night) on the Earth it
is called a fireball. It is also easily seen during daytime.
9. Many meteorites are found in Antarctica.
10.
A meteor is a tiny particle from outer space that produces light as it enters
the Earth's atmosphere.
11.
The largest meteors are sometimes broken bits of asteroids.
12.
On any night, any location, a few meteors can be seen each hour.
13.
When a meteoroid enters the atmosphere it creates a meteor, and what’s
left of the meteor, if anything, falls to the Earth and is called a meteorite.
Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Match the picture and the description.
A. Meteor
B. Meteoroid
C. Meteorite
_____1.
_____2.
_____3.
Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
A. Meteor
B. Meteoroid
C. Meteorite
_____ 4.
_____ 5.
Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
A. Meteor
B. Meteoroid
C. Meteorite
_____ 6.
_____ 7.
_____ 8. A tiny grain of sand burning up in atmosphere.
_____ 9. Rock hit and dented car.
_____ 10. Billions of small rocks in space.
_____ 11. Also called a shooting star.
_____ 12. The largest found weighed over 15 tons and was found
in Oregon.
Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
_____ 13. Some are traveling over 130,000 mph when they hit
the atmosphere.
A. Meteor
_____ 14. You have a better chance of winning the lottery than
being hit by this.
B. Meteoroid
_____15. The International Space Station may be hit by this.
C. Meteorite
_____ 16. Many are found in Antarctica.
17. A piece of stone and/or iron traveling through space that moves through the
Earth’s atmosphere is a…
a. meteoroid.
b. meteor.
c. meteorite.
18. A meteoroid is…
a. a meteor before it enters Earth's atmosphere.
b. a meteor from another galaxy.
c. a meteor that causes a great deal of destruction.
d. a meteor that makes a crater.
19. The reason most meteoroids do not reach the Earth's surface is that…
a. they bounce off Earth's atmosphere and go back into space
b. they burn up due to friction as they enter Earth's atmosphere.
c. they become a liquid and form clouds.
d. most do reach the Earth’s surface.
20. A meteor becomes a meteorite…
a. when it reaches Earth's surface.
b. when it is in outside Earth's atmosphere.
c. when it is analyzed by a space probe.
d. only when it hits the Moon.
21. Most meteorites come from…
a. the Sun.
b. the Moon.
c. the Asteroid Belt.
d. Mars.
Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Meteoroid/Meteor/Meteorite Facts – Key
A 1.
A 2.
B 3.
C 4.
B 5.
A 6.
C 7.
A 8.
C 9.
B 10.
A 11.
C 12.
B 13.
A 14.
B 15.
C 16.
Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
17. A piece of stone and/or iron traveling through space that moves through the
Earth’s atmosphere is a…
a. meteoroid.
17. a (3 choices)
18. A meteoroid is…
a. a meteor before it enters Earth's atmosphere.
18. a
19. The reason most meteoroids do not reach the Earth's surface is that…
b. they burn up due to friction as they enter Earth's atmosphere.
19. b
20. A meteor becomes a meteorite…
a. when it reaches Earth's surface.
20. a
21. Most meteorites come from…
c. the Asteroid Belt.
21. c
Objective
Describe the characteristics of comets, asteroids, and meteors.
Meteoroid/Meteor/Meteorite Facts – Scoring Guide
1. A (3 choices)
2. A (3 choices)
3. B (3 choices)
4. C (3 choices)
5. B (3 choices)
6. A (3 choices)
7. C (3 choices)
8. A (3 choices)
9. C (3 choices)
10. B (3 choices)
11. A (3 choices)
12. C (3 choices)
13. B (3 choices)
14. A (3 choices)
15. B (3 choices)
16. C (3 choices)
17. a (3 choices)
18. a
19. b
20. a
21. c
Scoring Guide
19-21 – 3
15-18 – 2.5
10-14 – 2
7-9 – 1.5
4-6 – 1
1-3 – .5
0–0